Appointment Of Secretary To The Treasury

The State Services Commissioner, Michael Wintringham, today announced the appointment of John Whitehead as Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Executive. Mr Whitehead is currently the acting Secretary to the Treasury.

Mr Wintringham said Mr Whitehead is a career public servant. Most of Mr Whitehead's 27 year career in the Public Service has been spent at the Treasury. Previous to this he worked from 1977 to 1982 in the Parliamentary Labour Research Unit, and between 1985 and 1988 as Economic Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.

Since then, apart from four years as Counsellor (Economic) and Minister (Economic) at the High Commission in London, he had held various senior positions in the Treasury, including Director of Tax Policy and International Economics, Deputy Secretary and Branch Manager Corporate Branch, and Deputy Secretary and Branch Manager, Regulatory and Tax Policy.

Mr Whitehead has a BSc with Honours in Mathematics and a MCom with First Class Honours in Economics.

Mr Wintringham said Mr Whitehead has the intellectual capability and management skills to lead this central government agency.

"He has been deeply involved in policy development and implementation during his time at the Treasury, including for example CER, protection reform, exchange rate policies and fiscal responsibility.

"He has excellent relationship management skills and extensive experience in working with Government and other agencies at senior levels.

Mr Whitehead will continue the efforts initiated by the previous chief executive, Dr Bollard, to redesign the Treasury to improve its capability and the range and quality of its advice provided to the Government," Mr Wintringham said.

Mr Whitehead will take up the Chief Executive role immediately.

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